Centreville's Mayoral Race Is In A Tie

August 27, 2025 - CENTREVILKE, AL. - While many cities throughout Alabama elected a new mayor on Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, in Centreville, Alabama, the votes for mayor were evenly split between the two candidates. With the current mayor of Centreville, Mike Oakley, and geologist, Barry Cooner, both ending up with 326 votes each. The provisional ballots have yet to be counted and will be the deciding factor in this year's election for mayor.

While Mayor Mike Oakley is known for his accessibility to the public via his participation in community events such as playing in the local music studio's piano recitals, singing and playing at the local nursing home, and being readily approachable for his constituents, concerns were raised during this year's elections after an audit report identified over $8,000 of "questioned adjustments or charges not made to the employees or persons who appear to be associated with staff involved in billing and collections". The audit was conducted by Don Wallace, CPA who is also the county commissioner for District 1 in Hale County.

Oakley responded to the findings of the audit by pointing out that new requirements for bookkeeping and expense documentation have been put into place to prevent such potential favortism as were hinted at in the audit. And that "Going forward we will have to deal with some past complex water department and garbage collection billing issues to determine if the issues reported were intentional or caused by the stubborn new software that we abandoned." As the city had implemented a new financial system management software that proved to be complicated and difficult to manage, rather than easier to use, as advertised. Additionally, the City Clerk and Water Department Clerk have both accepted other employment prior to the conclusion of the audit.

Geologist, Barry Cooner, who is hoping to unseat Mayor Mike Oakley after the provisional ballots have been counted has been married for 27 years to Kayla Tucker Cooner, who serves as Circuit Clerk of Bibb County. He is also a 1986 graduate of the University of Alabama..

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa attorney, piano instructor, and vocalist.